From the warm embrace of passionate citizen activism, Scotland’s future passed to the cold hands of hardened political hacks in closeted rooms. It is a physical impossibility that all 14,000 submissions from the public received by mid-October were even read, led alone properly considered. I am willing to bet most were not even opened.
No, this was the very worst kind of deal-making by callous political operatives, where party interests came first, second and last. I do not give a fig for the result. Income tax devolution is of minimal use if other major taxes are set from London and most income still comes from a Westminster “grant”. Revenue from oil and whisky will still be treated in government accounts as “UK” rather than arising in Scotland. It is far short of the quasi Federal powers which No voters were promised and the Lib Dems pretend to believe in.
Actually, I do not give a fig for the Smith Commission. I want to live in a country where the Westminster establishment does not send our children to fight and die in illegal wars, and which does not harbour weapons of mass destruction. I want a country where governance is decided by citizens and not cooked up the way of this sordid, sordid deal.
That is not to say we should not take advantage of any minor opportunities for increasing social fairness in Scotland that may accrue. But given the continued Westminster stranglehold on overall funding levels, they will be minor indeed.
Nor will I disdain the amusement afforded by the total intellectual mess into which the Labour Party has landed itself. If non-Scottish MPs in Westminster cannot vote on Scottish levels of income tax, it would be absolutely wrong for Scottish MPs to vote on English, Welsh or Northern Irish levels of income tax. That is unanswerable, yet the Labour Party cannot bring itself to acknowledge it. This should be fun.
For those wanting a detailed analysis, we have the excellent Stuart Campbell.
The rusting stern of the Cornelis Vrolijk towers over the quayside in Ijmuiden, an immense port near Amsterdam.
She is one of the largest trawlers in Europe: a mighty 370ft long, capable of hauling in 150 tons of herring and mackerel each time she throws her giant nets overboard.
The captured creatures are sucked down tubes, sorted for size on conveyor belts, and then frozen in a factory-style process deep in the bowels of the boat.
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I feel sorry these English fishermen, like Scottish fishermen, Westminster is destroying their livelihood, to please EU arseholes.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2854348/One-Dutch-trawler-gets-quarter-England-s-entire-fish-quota-English-fishermen-allowed-two-crates-worth-50.html
The main cable link between Ireland and America has been tapped by British intelligence, a new raft of papers released by National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden reveals.
The new documents, published in a German newspaper, reveal that a number of underwater cables that connect Ireland to the word are all being tapped into by British intelligence.
It means that all internet communications as well as phone calls are potentially intercepted by British intelligence.
The main cable connecting the US and Ireland is called Hibernia and stretches from Dublin to South Kerry across the Atlantic to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Another leg of the same cable stretches from Dublin to Holyhead in Wales.
A document released by Snowden details those cables which the British Government Communication Headquarters, based in Cheltenham in England, has either gained or sought access to
The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is a British intelligence and security organization responsible for providing signals intelligence.
(SIGINT) and information assurance to the British government and armed forces under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) alongside the Security Service (MI5), the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and Defence Intelligence (DI).
The document notes that the British intelligence operatives are dissatisfied with their access to the Irish cables and wants it improved.
The Snowden documents outline a number of underwater cables – the lines that connect Ireland to the outside world that are being tapped.
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Snowden-reveals-British-intelligence-tapping-all-USIreland-communications.html#
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It must be one of the few cables that isn’t completely tapped out.
Very good article on Theresa May’s latest effort at fear porn:
“The chances of being killed, or nearly killed, in a terrorist outrage are really rather slight. I know Theresa May says that there could be one any minute – and that 40 have been foiled since 7/7. But even if we trust her – and I don’t trust her – that number is definitely a maximum. She’s got no incentive to underestimate, so no more than 40 will have been foiled. Even if they had all happened, and were all as bad as 7/7 and each killed 52 people, that’s only 2,080 dead in seven years. A tragic state of affairs, no doubt, but it would still leave terrorist attack as a more unusual way to die than falling down stairs. In terms of death-avoidance strategies, I’ll probably do myself more good keeping off the fags and trying to relax.”
“even if we trust her – and I don’t trust her” Hint, hint.
That’s probably as close as we’re going to get to the truth in The Guardian, hence the quantitative argument.
Many of the comments go even further. With only one or two exceptions the overwhelming majority quite clearly understand the protection racket in which our masters are engaged.
It does appear that we’re approaching Soviet levels of distrust in officialdom.
What next?
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/30/david-mitchell-protect-yourself-counter-terrorism
Hundreds of pro-independence demonstrators have staged a gathering near the parliament building in the Scottish capital Edinburgh.
During Saturday’s protest, which came ahead of Scotland’s nationhood celebrations, demonstrators played national anthems and held speeches celebrating Scottish nationhood.
Demonstrators wrapped themselves in Scottish flags and were carrying various “Yes” related paraphernalia.
“This is just not good enough for Scotland anymore. Scotland is now at the stage where we’ve had enough of being ruled, we’re getting nothing, we’re putting everything and getting nothing back, and it’s time for Scotland to become an independent country,” a demonstrator told an RT reporter.
Scots celebrate their national day which is known as Saint Andrew’s Day on November 30.
The latest protest was held amid growing calls for Scotland’s independence from Britain.
In an independence vote, which was held on September 18, Scots voted 55-45 percent to preserve the 307-year-old political union with England.
However, a recent poll showed that support for independence has grown to 52 percent.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/11/29/388087/scottish-protesters-demand-independence/
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Time for another vote me thinks.
This coverage from Harry Fear, he’s up there now covering the Scottish Independence movement. Don’t know whether there is sound with it, I did not get any.
https://vine.co/v/OnXAdFnm7qa
Fred; Brent crude @70….
Reaching 2010 levels now…what next 2006?
http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=15251
People don’t realize the overarching consequences. They like the crashing pump price.
And it’s not just Russia who will suffer. But it does seem like Reagan’s final gasp at the Soviet threat. Bankrupt the Putinists.
We should be glad the price of oil has fallen the way it has (losing another 6% today as we write this). Not because it makes the gas in our cars a bit cheaper, that’s nothing compared to the other service the price slump provides. That is, it allows us to see how the economy is really doing, without the multilayered veil of propaganda, spin, fixed data and bailouts and handouts for the banking system
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-11-28/price-oil-exposes-true-state-economy
What everyone fears the most is a Banking crash. What is it, 700 trillion in unfunded liabilities?
Ben, it will hurt the high end consumers of the US long before it will hit Putin I fear and its those Saudi allies who are instigating it.
It’s not looking good Ben, Saudi stopped playing ball.
I’d hate to be living in a country with an oil based economy right now.
“Ben, it will hurt the high end consumers of the US long before it will hit Putin I fear and its those Saudi allies who are instigating it.”
Things have changed. With Caspian oil and American shale gas Saudi aren’t the top world producers they used to be and don’t see why it should be them cutting production to increase prices for everyone else.
They do sort of have a point.
I’d hate to be living in a country with an oil based economy right now.
Does that mean you’re moving Fred, away from the inevitable Independence of Scotland, Back to Union led Belfast?
BTW Saudi Arabia needs an oil price of $100, to make its economy work. their output at present can only hold as long as their savings service the economy.
Saudi have cash reserves of around $800 billion, and their budgetary breakeven point is around $85, so they can hang in there for quite a while before having to cut back on any goodies.
However it’s very very bad for Iran, Iraq and Yemen, and bad for Russia and Venezuela.
Good for India and China, although part of the problem is China’s decreasing demand.
Yet, most of the analysis I’ve seen is saying that the Saudis are trying to hit US fracking companies.
I don’t fink so.
The newbies need something like a Kissinger visit to the House of Saud.
“Does that mean you’re moving Fred, away from the inevitable Independence of Scotland, Back to Union led Belfast?”
Shouldn’t affect the UK too much we’re a net importer. Low energy prices isn’t bad for everyone, airlines should do well, manufacturing will get a boost. It’s swings and roundabouts. Pound is up against the dollar and the euro.
Dread to think of how things might have been.
“I’d hate to be living in a country with an oil based economy right now.
Does that mean you’re moving Fred, away from the inevitable Independence of Scotland, Back to Union led Belfast?”
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One can only hope he moves away, the sooner the better, as for Scotland it isn’t an oil based economy anyway.
Are you originally from Belfast, Fred?
“However it’s very very bad for Iran, Iraq and Yemen, and bad for Russia and Venezuela.”
While Europe has been imposing sanctions Russia has signed two massive energy deals with China, in the region of $400 billion each I believe. I don’t know where all these new found fracking gas reserves all over the place are going but they aren’t going to be going to China.
“Are you originally from Belfast, Fred?”
Whenever I am stating facts and the Nationalist start replying with personal remarks about me you can safely ignore them. They just do it to divert attention from the hard realities out there to focus on me instead. Unable to discredit what I say they desperately try to convince people that I am a member of the Orange Order or something when nothing could be further from the truth.
This is why I tend to just flame them instead.
Fair enough, Fred. I was just wondering if you’d said yourself that you were originally from Belfast.
Nothing wrong with being from Belfast.
I still think that Scotland would have been better going it alone, and that rUK would have been worse off.
And of course Scottish independence would have had massive ramifications for Unionism in NI.
But anyway, the current issue is how Russia and Iran, for example, deal with a reduction in income.
I’d imagine someone is hoping that Putin is less able to offer goodies to the peeps and his popularity will wane.
Russia needs about $105 to cover its current budget, and has about £80 billion in cash reserves, although the ruble has fallen dramatically so if they were internally producing more of their own goods there’d be much less for them to worry about.
I’m just saying that the Saudi refusal to cut production hits Iran, Iraq, Russia, Venezuela etc and analyst claims that its directed at US frackers is cobblers.
Mary may like to note that state’s propaganda machine, the BBC, has just covered the protest at Faslane on BBC Reporting Scotland.
Disclaimer: I am originally from Belfast and I voted No in the referendum.
Would you have been a Unionist in NI, Mick?
“Russia needs about $105 to cover its current budget, and has about £80 billion in cash reserves, although the ruble has fallen dramatically so if they were internally producing more of their own goods there’d be much less for them to worry about.”
They may need to pull in some IOUs.
I think they hold quite a lot of Ukrainian bonds due to mature next year.
Could be interesting.
Most Catholics in Northern Ireland want to remain part of the UK,now that must come as a surprise for some commentators here.. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/survey-most-northern-ireland-catholics-want-to-remain-in-uk-28628245.html
Harry
No surprise to me.
The settlement suited many better-off Catholics in NI, and indeed increased their number.
The clincher however was how badly RoI handled the financial crisis. Had they done an Iceland, things would be quite different.
There are so many potential variables that it’s very difficult to predict how attitudes may shift in the future and it’d be a mistake to think that the question is forever settled.
It’s better though that the issue is seen less and less as an ethnic matter and more of an economic one.
The Price Of Oil Exposes The True State Of The Economy
by Raúl Ilargi Meijer
We should be glad the price of oil has fallen the way it has (losing another 6% today as I write this). Not because it makes the gas in our cars a bit cheaper, that’s nothing compared to the other service the price slump provides. That is, it allows us to see how the economy is really doing, without the multilayered veil of propaganda, spin, fixed data and bailouts and handouts for the banking system.
It shows us the huge extent to which consumer spending is falling, how much poorer people have become as stock markets set records. It also shows us how desperate producing nations have become, who have seen a third of their often principal source of revenue fall away in a few months’ time. Nigeria was first in line to devalue its currency, others will follow suit.
snip
And today, Tracy Alloway at FT mentions major banks and their energy-related losses:
That’s just one loan. At 60 cents on the dollar, a $340 million loss. Who knows how many similar, and bigger, loans are out there? Put together, these stories slowly seeping out of the juncture of energy and finance gives the good and willing listener an inkling of an idea of the losses being incurred throughout the global economy, and by the large financiers. There’s a bloodbath brewing in the shadows. Countries can see their revenues cut by a third and move on, perhaps with new leaders, but many companies can’t lose that much income and keep on going, certainly not when they’re heavily leveraged.
The Saudi’s refuse to cut output and say: let America cut. But American oil producers can’t cut even if they would want to, it would blow their debt laden enterprises out of the water, and out of existence. Besides, that energy independence thing plays a big role of course. But with prices continuing to fall, much of that industry will go belly up because credit gets withdrawn.
The amount of money lost in the ‘overinvestment cycle’ will be stupendous, and you don’t need to ask who’s going to end up paying. Pointing to past oil bubbles risks missing the point that the kind of leverage and cheap credit heaped upon shale oil and gas, as Dizard also says, is unprecedented. As Wolf Richter wrote earlier this year, the industry has bled over $100 billion in losses for three years running.
Not because they weren’t selling, but because the costs were – and are – so formidable. There’s more debt going into the ground then there’s oil coming out. Shale was a losing proposition even at $100. But that remained hidden behind the wagers backed by 0.5% loans that fed the land speculation it was based on from the start. WTI fell below $70 today. You can let your 3-year old do the math from there.
http://www.theautomaticearth.com/the-price-of-oil-exposes-the-true-state-of-the-economy/
Afghanistan:The Lessons of War
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04pshdh
A former commander of British and Coalition forces in Helmand embarks on a personal journey to find out what has been achieved by the thirteen-year campaign in Afghanistan. It is a quest that leads Former Major General Andrew Mackay to some of the key military and political figures of the past decade.
He puts searching questions to former US General David Petraeus and ISAF Commanders General John McColl and General David Richards, to discover if there ever was a coherent strategy for coalition troops.
He reflects on what was achieved in Afghanistan with leading politicians including former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and former UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
And he looks to the future of the country with a senior figure from the current Afghan government – Mohammad Mustafa Mastoor, Deputy Minister for Finance.
General Mackay also believes that any future interventions should be based on lessons learnt in the Afghanistan campaign. But what are those lessons? He hears from experts who have studied the campaign to help him consider the role he played and to find out what conclusions can be drawn.
Andrew Mackay : “I think whoever you are when you go to an extreme environment such as Helmand, you are never the same person when you come back. I was interested in considering the role that I played as the commander of British forces in Helmand and the journey that it had taken me on.”
Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane
Editor: David Ross
Comment on Medialens
Huge Mind-Bending Lies on BBC R4 doc of the week: “UK-US wars are always noble. More needed.”
Sadly, but wholly unexpectedly and singing to the usual “war is noble” tune, I just caught the end of a R4 documentary of the week.
It was purportedly ‘asking’ if the UK military involvement in Afghanistan (intervention sounds too much like breaking up a fight, as intended) was worth it. You’ll never guess what. It was!
Everyone agreed (soldiers and ex soldiers and the narrator were the only ones I heard in last 5 mins). As one severely injured young soldier understandably seeking and clinging to a justification put it, when asked if it was worth it: “Terrorists are kept off our streets because of my sacrifice.”
And another ‘older and wiser’ ex-military voice: “The UK and US (and just a few others! said in an angry voice) are the only ones willing to intervene to enforce UN resolutions”
The closing BIG LIE MESSAGE by ‘independent’ (spit!) narrator: “The greatest concern is that the sadness and loss among British families who lost loved ones may adversely affect our ability to step in in future. Just look at the effect of this playing out in Libya, Iraq and Syria.” – Whaaat!!!
No mention I heard of Afghan losses or imperial motivations at all.
And that final message is the sickest most twisted lie by a military nutter elite tool passing as ‘reasonable’, and of course ‘noble’ and ‘brave’.
As someone posted here recently, we need a new name for the mainstream which includes an element of EXTREME.
If you can bear it: Afghanistan: The Lessons of War
A former British commander in Afghanistan examines what has been achieved by the campaign.
Interesting that the BBC report on the Faslane protest has a headline –
‘Hundreds protest against Trident nuclear weapons at Faslane’
Within the report, a figure of 1,400 is given. If their past form is anything to go by, you can double or treble the number as they always understate numbers.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-30269981
ISIS is attacking Kobani from Turkey. There’s enough in the mainstream now to show that ISIS was the creation of at least two nation states, who are still financing, training and arming it. But the mainstream will not provide that kind of analysis.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/islamic-state-group-attacking-kobani-turkey-27248275
More chicanery.
Questions over Tony Blair’s ‘opaque’ deals in Africa
Emails obtained by The Telegraph suggest Tony Blair was attempting to bring in wealthy clients for South Sudan where he was also an adviser http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/11262947/Questions-over-Tony-Blairs-opaque-deals-in-Africa.html
Good Medialens pieces too, Mary, on Russell Brand. Some great writing from the man. And great insight.
The more the corporate media attack him, the more I like him. He’s a highly articulate and confident working-class lad. This unsettles certain interests.